Field Hockey

Danielle (Dani) McDonnell enters her 13th season as Head Coach of the Western Connecticut State University field hockey program.

In 2014, Western enjoyed the program's most successful season since revamping field hockey in 2005, going 11-10 overall and advancing to the Little East Conference Tournament semifinals.

From 1999-2004, McDonnell helped lead Fairfield to the Patriot League Conference Tournament in three of her past five seasons at the Connecticut school, including a conference championship and a NCAA Division I Tournament bid in 2001. While at Fairfield, she was Assistant Director of the Nike Field Hockey Camp which is held each summer at the university. She coached nine Regional All-Americans and 12 Academic All-Americans while at the Division I school.

McDonnell has coached in the Region 3 Futures Program and is the co-founder of Connecticut Revolution, a club team in southwestern Connecticut for U14, U16 and U19 aged players. Connecticut Revolution practice and participate in local, regional and national tournaments throughout the year. She is also the Director of "Prepare for Preseason Camp" held at Western in August for local high school players.

The Pennsylvania native earned a field hockey scholarship to St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia, PA and was a four-year starter at center midfield. McDonnell was a co-captain and an All Atlantic-10 and Mid-East Regional All-American selection her junior and senior seasons. She was recognized as the 1993 A-10 Defensive Player of the Year.

Her senior year, she led her school to an Atlantic 10 Championship, in which she set a conference tourney record with five assists in one game.

In addition, she was named team MVP and the team finished 16th in the nation in NCAA Division I. She was honored in 2001 by the A-10 for her contribution to its success for the 25th Anniversary of the Conference.

McDonnell hails from Perkasie, PA and went to Pennridge High School, where she was a four year varsity starter at center midfield and mentioned as a High School All-American. She was a co-captain along with being named All-Colonial Division First-Team and All-Intelligencer Field Hockey Team her junior and senior seasons. She was also a three year starter in Soccer at midfield and forward, where she was an All-Colonial Division First-Team and All-Intelligencer Soccer Team selection her junior and senior seasons as well.

McDonnell is a 1996 graduate of St. Joseph's University with a B.S. in Marketing and received her M.B.A. in Marketing from Fairfield University in 2004.

Dani and her husband Joe reside in Naugatuck, CT. They have a son, David.